USDA Extends emergency grazing deadline

Contributed

USDA Texas Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting Executive Director James B. Douglass announced that the original Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) emergency grazing deadline was extended to Nov. 30. The CRP emergency haying authorization that expired on August 31 was not extended.

This extension only covers general CRP practices. The extension is not authorized for the environmentally sensitive practices of CP8A, Grass Waterway-Noneasement; CP23, Wetland Restoration: CP23A, Wetland Restoration, Non-Floodplain; CP27, Farmable Wetlands Pilot Wetland; CP28, Farmable Wetlands Pilot Buffer; CP37, Duck Nesting Habitat; and CP41, FWP Flooded Prairie Wetlands.

"Previously, only counties classified as 'D2 - under severe drought' according to the US Drought Monitor were eligible for CRP emergency grazing," said Douglass. "Now counties classified as 'D0 - abnormally dry' are eligible for CRP emergency grazing," he said.

Producers who take advantage of the emergency grazing extension will not incur an additional CRP rental payment reduction. Previously, the 25 percent CRP payment reduction was reduced to 10 percent for all 2012 emergency grazing authorizations.

Participants may now lease grazing privileges for profit under the new emergency provisions. However, subleasing of the grazing privileges will not be permitted.

Texas CRP participants who were previously approved for managed grazing may elect to switch to emergency use by contacting their local FSA office to request approval.

Based on a decision made by the Texas FSA State Committee, CRP emergency grazing approval will only be available for those CRP lands that were not utilized for grazing during the previous 12 months.

"The grazing extension will provide more resources for livestock producers facing forage and feed shortages as a result of drought," said Douglass.

The eligible CRP acreage is limited to qualified acres located within the approved county. Eligible producers who are interested in grazing CRP under this emergency authorization and current CRP participants who choose to provide land for grazing to an eligible livestock producer, must first request approval from their local FSA office and obtain a modified conservation plan from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to include site specific grazing requirements.

For more information and to request approval for emergency grazing, contact the local FSA office.